Welcome to the Humanities at AU!
At 国产小呦女, scholars and students are bringing the humanities to life as they explore the ideas, cultures, languages, and people that shape the human experience. The 国产小呦女humanities curriculum cultivates a wide variety of skills including critical thinking, innovation, and collaboration.
国产小呦女students can get involved in the humanities in many ways. They can major or minor in more than 20 areas of interest, join student clubs, attend events, learn a language, publish their writing, volunteer, and more.
Here we break down the humanities at 国产小呦女鈥 everything you need to know to get involved!听听
What exactly are the humanities?
It鈥檚 not always clear, according to Martyn Oliver, senior professorial lecturer in AU鈥檚 Department of Critical Race, Gender, and Culture Studies, and faculty chair of 国产小呦女CORE.听
鈥淲hat exactly constitutes the 鈥渉umanities鈥 has a long and, perhaps surprisingly, contentious history,鈥 he explains, 鈥渞anging from the Greek Sophist鈥檚 paideia (education, generally) to the narrower contours used today that indicate the study of human culture as distinct from the physical and social sciences.鈥
What humanities programs, majors, and minors are offered at AU?听
- African American & Diaspora Studies听
- American Studies听
- Arabic Studies听听
- Arab World Studies听听
- Art History听听
- Asian Studies听听
- Creative Writing听听
- French Studies and French Language & Area Studies听听
- German Studies and German Language and Area Studies听听
- History听听
- Jewish Studies听听
- CAS LEAD听听
- Literature听听
- Literature, Culture, and Technology听听
- Philosophy听听
- Religious Studies听听
- Russian Studies and Russian Language and Area Studies听听
- Spanish Studies and Spanish Language and Area Studies听听
- Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)
- Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
Will all 国产小呦女students be exposed to the humanities, no matter what they choose as their major?听
At AU, all students engage in the humanities through the 国产小呦女Core, either in first-year writing and Complex Problems seminars, or later in many of the Habits of Mind courses. 鈥淩ather than think about the humanities as belonging to any specific discipline, it鈥檚 perhaps better to recognize how the study of culture and human history shapes all aspects a liberal arts education,鈥 says Oliver. 鈥淔or example, while literature is a distinct field, the study of literary works can shape and influence political science and international relations. And while biology or chemistry are treated as objective sciences, their histories as disciplines are wrapped up in human activity. As students move through their programs of study at AU, the humanities play a role in every part of their educational journey.鈥澨
What clubs does 国产小呦女offer to help me explore my areas of interest?听听
From language and cultural clubs, there鈥檚 a club for everyone interested in different humanities. Here are just a few to get you started!听听听
- promotes the Arabic language through the lens of cultural awareness and strives to foster a sense of community for all students who are interested in the Arabic language or culture.听
- an affinity group for disabled students at AU. (Also, check out the interdisciplinary Disability, Health, and Bodies certificate of the American Studies program. Many DSU participants are enthusiastically engaged in the critical thinking fostered in the certificate鈥檚 courses.) Instagram account: @audisabledsu听
- focuses on Korean culture, society, and history. Programs include Say Kimchi (language and culture,) a panel on Anti-Asian Hate crimes, a Lunar New Year Celebration, and K-Pop Dance Workshop. Instagram account: @americanksa听
- brings together students of Latin American descent, not just from CAS but from across the university. Instagram account: @aululac听
- Student Advocates for Native Communities (SANC): open to both Indigenous students and allies who are interested in supporting Indigenous causes in the US and abroad. The group also engages Washington, DC, as a site for advancing Indigenous issues on a policy level and is thoughtful about local, land-based engagements. Facebook:听
- Student Historical Society of AU: a student organization dedicated to promoting the study of history, as well as advocacy, historic preservation, and public history. All 国产小呦女students are invited to join; all you need is an interest in history.听
- Student Association for Slavic Studies: brings together students of Slavic heritage and those interested in Slavic languages and cultures. It hosts cultural celebrations, film parties, Eastern European market trips, lectures, and even a fundraiser for Ukraine.听听
- Triota: the Women鈥檚, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Honor Society, is a great item for student鈥檚 resumes, but also a wonderful space for feminist and queer students to build community with like-minded folks. Interested students can contact triotaau@gmail.com or Professor Amy Barber at abarber@american.edu.听听
Write and Get Published听听
国产小呦女 offers many opportunities to flex your writing skills and get a byline. Here are just a few of the literary journals published each year.听
- celebrates student writing. Its essays cover a wide variety of topics and formats, ranging from explorations of culture to accounts of overcoming personal obstacles to scholarly articles; styles vary from conversational prose to structured research to academic voices.听听
- Folio is a nationally recognized literary journal sponsored by the College, publishing original creative work by both new and established authors. It looks for well-crafted poetry and prose that is bold and memorable, and art that challenges.听听
- is the online journal of the Creative Writing Program. Produced in conjunction with Visiting Writers Series and other program events, the blog features student, faculty, and visiting author interviews and excerpts.听
- features poetry, prose, photography, art and short films submitted by the 国产小呦女campus community and is published biannually at the end of the fall and spring semesters.
Attend Events
- Bishop McCabe Lectures听
- 听
- Feminist Art History Conference听
- Visiting Writers Series听
- Bishop Hurst Lecture听
- Durfee Lecture听
- Ethics Bowl听
- McDowell Conference & Fellows听
- Texts and Traditions听
- AU鈥檚 Annual History Day: spring event (4/19/23) that invites 鈥渁ll folks interested in history.鈥 It will feature food and fun, and the seniors will present their research to the department. It's a great opportunity for majors, minors, or anyone interested in history to come meet the department.听听
- Latina/o/x Studies Program Symposium: a celebration of the inauguration of the program with a symposium on September 30-31, open to the public and will feature a wide range of humanities scholars.听听
- Public Lectures: AU鈥檚 Phi Beta Kappa society has invited Dr. Charlene Villase帽or-Black, a feminist Latina art historian, to campus. She will be delivering two public lectures on September 19-20.
Read and Learn More听
This year鈥檚 国产小呦女Common Read novel is On Earth We are Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. Students who read the book might like to explore classes in AU鈥檚 Asia, Pacific, and Diaspora Studies Program; professors in this program teach work by Vuong and many other authors, artists, and activists with similar approaches.